Refrigerator-door construction



April 8, 1930. H. D. GEYER REFRIGERATOR DOOR CONSTRUCTION Fly 2 /5 FiledMarch 21, 1927 elbtozmq Patented Apr. 8, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE HARVEY D. GEYIEB, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE INLANDMANUFACTURIN COMPANY, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A. CORPORATION OF DELAWAREREFRIGERATOR-DOOR consrnoc'rron Application filed March 21, 1927. SerialNo. 176,871.

This invention relates to the construction of heat insulating closures,such as'doors or panels for refrigerator cabinets.

An object of this invention is to provlde an improved form of heatinsulating door which will have improved appearance on both inner andouter sides, good insulating qualities, and. which can be rapidlymanufactured at small cost.

A more specific object is to provide such a door having a moldedcomposition frame, inner and outer sheet metal covers for said frame,and simple and eflicient means for securing said metal covers to saidframe.

A furtherobject is to provide a construction wherein the gasket ofelastic material may be easily applied or removed from the door, andwherein the gasket conceals the edges of both the inner and outer metalcovers, thus improving the appearance and also sealing the jointsbetween the metal covers and the frame. This sealing of the .joints isimportant in order to prevent possibility of moisture entering the heatinsulat- 25 ing material within the door and thereby causingdeterioration thereof and bad odors to escape therefrom.

Further objects and advantages of the pres ent invention will beapparent from the following description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of embodiment of thepresent invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view of the inner side of a refrigerator door builtaccording to this invention.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig.2, showing a modified form.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Flg. 2, showing another modified form.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout thedrawings.

In the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2, designates the molded compositionmain frame which is molded in one piece in the sectional sha e clearlyshown in Fig. 2. The peripheral filings 11 is provided forming ashoulder 12 which is adapted to abut against the side of the dooropening of the cabinet. A gasket groove 13 extending entirely around thedoor is molded in the face of the shoulder shoulder 12, as clearly shownin Fig. 2. The

metal cover 15 may be applied by being first pressed to shape as shownwith the exception that'theedges 17 are not crimped over, by setting theframe 10 thereupon, and then firmly crimping the edges 17 down upon theshoulder 12. Or if desired, the cover 15 may be completely pressed toshape as shown in Fig. 2 and set within the molding die, and then theframe 10 molded in place thereupon in a manner which will be understoodby those skilled in the art.

The inner sheet metal cover 20 is first pressedto shape as shown in Fig.2 so that the flanges 21 will snugly fit upon the slightly beveled outersurface of frame 10. The insulating material 30, which preferably isloose ground cork or cork board, is properly packed in place in theinterior space provided therefor and then the inner cover 20 is pressedin place and nailed by the small nails 22 which are suitably spacedapart around the periphery of the door. The edges 23 of the flanges 21arepreferably bent out slightly,

as clearly shown inFig. 2, to provide a narrowing neck for the groove 13so that the.

rubber gasket 25 will be more positively retained in place. A narrowingneck cannot be economically molded in the molded material itself, aswill be well understood by those skilled in the art,

This gasket 25 is preferably molded in one endless piece of elasticrubber in the form of the door and of such dimensions that it will liesnugly in place by a slight tension on the rubber. Gasket 25 has aportion 26 which is joined to the main portion of the gasket by a neckcorresponding in projecting bead width to the narrowing neck of thegroove 13 caused by the metal lip 23. Gasket 25 is applied to the doorby slipping it down around the inner cover 20 and then stretching acerpermit its easy insertion into (groove 13 past a preferred form, itis to be understood that the narrowing neck thereof. sket 25 preferablyhas a flexible lip portion 2''! which is deflected upwardly and liessnugly against the flange 21 when the gasket is applied to the door.This lip 27 conceals the heads of the nails 22 and prevents a crevicewhich would obviously be present if lip 27 were omitted. By thisconstruction the gasket 25 seals and conceals the joints between the twometal covers and the frame 10. So far as can be observed when gasket25isin place the entire door is covered with metal wit no seams therein,thus greatly im roving the general appearance and ease of eeping thedoor thoroughl clean.

Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate modificatlonswherein the portion of the mainframe having the asket groove therein is a one-plece molded frame 40,and a built-up wood frame 41 1s fixed thereto b wood screws 42 suitablyspaced around t e door.

In the form shown in Fig. 3, the gasket groove 13' has a slightlyoverhanging 11p 43 which aids in retaining the projectlng) portion 13 ofgasket 25' in place, as will e ob-v vi'ous. However, since the rightside (as viewed in Fig. 3) of groove 13' is considerably lower than theleft side, there is no narrowing neck for the groove and hence therewill be no difficulty in removing the molded part 40 from the moldingdie, as will be well under-' stood by those skilled in the art. .Theinner metal cover 20 abuts the molded frame 40 adjacent the groove 13'and is held securely in place by the nails 22 driven into the woodframe41.

In'Fig. 4, the inner metal cover 20" is secured in lace by having itsedges 24 crimped around the lower edge of the wood frame 41, thuseliminating all use of nails. The gasket groove 13" is so locatedrelative to the crimped edges 24 as to cause the corner of the metalcover to give a slightly narrowing neck to groove 13", as clearlyillustrated in Fig. 4. The asket 25" is inserted in place as described aove in connection with Fig. 2.

The composition from which the molded members 10 and 40 are molded maybe a hard rubber composition but preferably I use a cold moldingcomposition of gilsonite, petroleum residue, disintegrated asbestosfiber, and a finely divided filler. This composition and process formixing and molding the same is described and claimed in my copendingapplication, Serial .No. 169,669, filed February 19, 1927. v

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as hereindisclosed, constitutes er forms might be adopted, all comin within thescope of the claims which follow.-

' What is claimed is as follows:

1. A-heat insulating door comprising: a one-piece -molded bituminouscomposition frame having a peri heral main flan e integral therewith anforming a s oulder adapted to abut against the door opening, aperipherally extending gasket groove molded in t 0 face of saidshoulder, and an endless gasket of elastic material stretched aroundsaid frame and lying upon said shoulder and having a projecting portionseated in said gi'oove, whereby said gasket is retained in p ace.

2. A heat insulating door comprising: a one-piece door frame of moldedbituminous composition having a peripheral flange integral y moldedtherewith and forming a shoulder adapted to abut the door opening, anouter metal cover for said frame having ts marginal portions extendingaround said peri heral flange and having its edgesturne in upon saidshoulder, an inner metalcover for said frame having its marginalportions extending around the inner portion of said frame andterminating adjacent said shoulder, an elastic gasket lying upon saidshoulder and concealing and sealing the ed es of both of said metalcovers, and heat insu ating material in the interior space between saidcovers.

3. A heat insulating door comprising: a one-piece main door frame ofmolded bituminous composition having a peripheral flange integrallymolded therewith and forming a shoulder adapted to abut the dooropening, an outer sheet metal cover attached directly to said main frameand having its marginal edge bent around said peripheral flange, aninner sheet metal cover attached directly to said main frame having itsmarginal portion bent,to telescope upon said frame and forming aninterior chamber between said frame and metal covers, and heatinsulating material filling said interior chamber.

4. A heat insulating door comprising: a one-piece main door frame ofmolded bituminous composition having a peripheral flange integrallymolded therewith and forming a shoulder adapted to abut the dooropening, an outer sheet metal cover secured directly to said main framehaving its marginal edge bent around said peripheral flange andterminating at said shoulder, an inner sheet metal cover for said mainframe having its marginal portion bent around said frame and terminatingadjacent said shoulder, and a gasket of elastic material lyin upon saidshoulder and sealing the edges 0 both inner and outer metal covers.

5. A heat insulating door comprising: a one-piece main door frame ofmolded bituminous composition having a peripheral flange integrallymolded therewith and forming a g shoulder adapted to abut the door 0ning,

an' outer sheet metal cover for sai main frame, an mner sheet metalcover for said main frame having its marginal ortion bent around saidframe and terminatm adjacent saidshoulder, and a gasket of elasticmaterial lying upon said shoulder and havin a projecting portionretained in place by t e edge of said inner cover.

In testimony whereofI hereto afiix my signature. 7

HARVEY D GEYER.

